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Since the first line of cannabis vaporizers devices hit the market, a multitude of new vapes have been introduced, including the famous Pax 3 vaporizer. These pen-style vaporizers offer herb consumers not only with a greater level of stealth, but also with a much higher amount of convenience, since they can use the devices almost anywhere, anytime. However, with so many models and brands available, it is common for consumers to make the mistake of getting a device that is completely a waste of their time and money.

If this is your first time getting into the world of dry herb vaporizers and you need help in choosing the right device, there some of the most important things to keep in mind.

Reviewed by Independent and Reliable Third Party Organizations

One of the best ways for you to know whether or not a a vape is worth your time and money is to check out cannabis vaporizer reviews. Many of these reviews are found via the World Wide Web. Before believing those that you will read though, it is extremely important that the source is actually reliable. The review should also be comprehensive, and should take into consideration the following components or aspects:

Affordability

Versatility

Stealth

Durability

Ease of Refill

Safety of Use

Heating Methods Available

As of the moment, there are 2 different basic heating methods when it comes to the use of a weed vaporizer:

Conduction – The dry herb blend that will be vaporized is placed on a metal component that will be heated so that the active ingredients of the blend will be released.

Convection – The blend will never be in contact with the heating element used by the cheap marijuana vaporizer. Instead, a polyfill medium is used to place the blend on to, which is then heated to release the material’s active ingredients.

The Standard Components that Make Up these Pen-Style Vaporizers

Many of the products that you will find available in the market today make use of the same base unit, something that almost always runs on a lithium ion battery. This feature makes these vaporizers look very much alike, in addition to the fact that their chargers and components can be interchanged. It is worthy to note that these “standard” components are mostly made in China, and in most reviews, their performance takes precedence over other aspects. So when looking for a marijuana vaporizer review, it is a must that you select one that also includes information about the device’s safety of use.

Approval from the Food and Drug Administration

As mentioned above, most of the standard parts and accessories of even the best pen-style vaporizers are made in China. However, many of them have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have been approved by the organization. It is extremely vital for you to choose a vaporizer that comes with FDA approval, as this means that it does not present any health issues. Nevertheless, you should always apply the ‘buyer beware’ saying here. Regardless of what brand of weed vaporizers you will invest on, make sure that you follow the directions of its use.

The ultimate vape pen guide to show someone how a pen vaporizer guide is suppose to be written is made for when you know exactly all the tip are laid out on exactly the different types of methods there are that are going to be to there where you know exactly how you will see all the different types of vape pen methods out there and how they’re constructed. Not many people are going to be able to figure out and understand how all vape pens are made. When you briefly think about these types of pen vaporizers out there, they’re will be there to always help you understand how everything will work. There are pen vaporizers constructed for any type of substance created online that will give you and understand exactly how one is specifically constructed.

Showing you all the details on the history and facts about pen vaporizers were the most important for you to figure out to understand how they will work with future inventions. There’s handheld pen vapes that are on made for what you have to mention within the specifics of what you’re going to construct. With the advanced technology of new pen vaporizers online, there are thousands that are unsure of how a pen vaporizer is going to specifically work. Once you find out how they work, you will get a better understanding of how effective these aromatherapy devices will work.

Pen vaporizers are made for every type of construction part that will help you get a better understanding of everything so you will know if it is worth for you to go out and invest in a new device that will greatly benefit yourself and for anyone that wants to use something the size of your palm. As mentioned in the ultimate vape pen guide, there’s dozens of benefits that will give you the ease-of-use and portability to be able to vaporize your herbs, waxes and oils. Pen vaporizers are built to make it easier for anyone wanting to use a device on the go, at home or wherever they must use it so they can eliminate any type of odors that are going to mess up the taste and vaping is the solution for the new generation of people wanting a quick vaporizer to provide you with discreet use and reliable functionality so you can be able to load any type of substance and use it on the go without raising any type of suspicion.

Vape pens are here to stay as there’s many different caliber types of pen vaporizers for sale that not many people know about. There’s an ultimate guide that will show you steb-by-step on how these units will work on eliminating combustion and provide you with the purest and most potent forms of vaping quality since you don’t want a vaporizer that’s going to become a hassle device which would end up making it somewhat of a burden to when you’re using the device.

Overall, there are many high quality pen vaporizers for sale not many people of aware of. You have wax pen vaporizers like the Dr. Dabber Aura which is a high quality device that has 3 different atomizers and won’t ever produce any combustion or any mess up experience. There’s devices for herbal pen vaporization that make mixing your herbal blends to give you the best possible vaporization which is a pretty good thing that anyone want to use for a new device. Looking at all the benefits to what a pen vaporizer can do, these are extremely cost effective devices that will give you by far the best vaping experience to provide you with a combustion free experience out of any type of vaporizer when it all comes down to having a high quality device.

When you know there’s a lot going on in the vaporizer industry, you have many choices on what you want to get when it comes down to buying a convenient, on-the-go type of vaporizer. You standards; it must be able to support at least herbs and waxes and you find yourself using herbs mainly over the wax dabbing. And if this is the case, you’re going to want to clearly stay far away from the pen vaporizers that use conduction heating. This type of heating is only suitable for waxes and oils and the atomizer is what will regulate the amount of power and heat you have to control for your vape pen. However, when you want to have a good vaporizer, it is best to choose one that is highly rated, good user-reviews. The best type of atomizers for wax vape pens are the ones that utilize Quartz Crystal and/or Ceramic glass lining. This gives your vaporizer the true, all-glass-vapor-path experience which is one you will want to purchase when making your selection for buying a new vape pen online. We are going to help you make a good choice online to buy a new herb pen vape.

Why Pen Vaporizers?
Pen vaporizers have been out for more than a decade now, originally called e-cigs but now have more advanced features and solutions that e-cigs don’t use. Vape pens are great for taking on-the-go and using them in public or on travel since they’re very discreet. Lots of regulations have been putting to law when vape pens have been making a public surge of sales and the effectiveness as well as the stealth/discreetness they provide. As it wasn’t a regulation before in all cities, some now ban e-cig/vaping all together in different public places. The biggest ban was at certain college campuses were it seemed like everyone had a vaporizer to use. Pen vaporizers are the ultimate stealth vehicles when it comes to being able to conceal them in a public area. You can use a vaporizer, it will not emit any type of smell, just a little popcorn type of smell if it vapes wrong but that’s about all when it comes down to having a vaporizer.

I Want A Wax & Herb Vape Pen!
So you want what everyone else wants, fortunately for you there’s many different solutions to choose from when you look further into vaporizers. Vaping is the perfect thing for you to have when you really want to have the best experience ever. Theres many types of vaporizer but since you want one for waxes and herbs, we are going to explain the best scenarios for you to figure out.

Buying The Herb / Wax Vape Pen
You will want to shop online for one, there’s many online retailers available, we are only going to explain to you just one we really trust but It all is about your budget. Because of the amount of options, we highly recommend also reading reviews of the best vaporizers pens on the market.

$50 – $99 Wax / Herb Vape Pen Budget
Well there’s a few different ways you can go about this, you can buy something like the Atmos Jump which is a fully anodized convection herbal vape pen that will perfectly vape your herbs without combustion and get it at $59 itself. Then you can buy the Dr. Dabber Light vaporizer which is the predecessor of the ultimate Dr. Dabber Ghost vape pen. The Dr. Dabber light just simply comes with the wax atomizer and the open coil to dab with unlike the Ghost Vape kit which comes with everything the light comes with but also includes the Glass Globe Ghost Attachment. This attachment is useful if you want to store your liquids and wax shatter inside the tank it comes with but the entire Ghost kit costs $79, so buying the Atmos Jump and Dr. Dabber Ghost is out of your budget.

Win Win For Your Budget!
Purchase the Dr. Dabber Light for $40 – $49 and purchase the Atmos Jump vape pen for $59 and you have this very within your budget. Having a very low budget of just $50 isn’t practical for a vape pen kit that can do it all, unless you want to make the mistake in buying the Atmos Bullet 2 Go Plus and have it melt the atomizer away over time, this kit is a complete waste of money but buying the Dr. Dabber Light Vape pen kit with its titanium technology and ceramic lining, is the best and most premium grade price to roll with when it all comes down to what you want to have. Since you want herbs to vape with, buying the Atmos Jump is the next best and most affordable step to take. This kit is one to only cost $59 and is the cheapest and only herbal vape pen that costs under $60 with convection vaping technology.

The $100 – $200 Budget

This is a way better budget to roll with, you can buying the Dr. Dabber Aura which is a variable 3 heat setting voltage vape pen for wax dabbing and comes with 3 different and custom atomizer for specific viscosity of concentrates to give a precise vape session, and you can buy the Atmos Boss which is a world renowned pen vaporizer for herbs that is one of the most popular additions that came out July 2014. This type of vaporizer budget is the best to have when you’re a beginner and it is the only one you need to stick to when you’re buying a new vaporizer.Note – The Atmos Boss now comes with a wax attachment which only costs $49, so you’d be spending $149 total for a high quality herbal vape pen and a wax dabbing vaporizer

Overall
Coming down to it, you win either way when you read this guide, this filters out all the BS you see on the internet and that’s a sales gimmick, this article is best suited for people very serious about vaping, getting the highest quality vaporizer and one within their budget they’ll fit their likeliness.. These vaporizers are the best and most intense types of vaporizers available to use online. If you’re going to buy any type of cheap vape pen, it is going to be from VaporizerChief.Com which is a premium and very popular online vaporizer store that features the best produces.

In the age of buying new vaporizers, there’s always a way to find a cheap vaporizer for sale. When you look into new vaporizers, you will discover the endless possibilities of new vaporizers that will greatly benefit your vaping sessions. A true good vaporizer will never combust your materials. Herbal vaporizers will always be there to give you the best possible vaping experience out of any other vaporizer. The fact is, there’s portable vaporizers, desktop vaporizers and vape pens. When you look at all the healthy benefits of new vaporizers for sale, you will see the endless possibilities of the fact that there’s many high quality vaporizers for sale.

Atmos jump is a very high quality herbal vape pen. It only costs $59 and is built with durably carbon-fiber materials making it a strong and durable, elastic vaporizer that can withstand the worst drops of having a vaporizer. When you want to get a good vaporizer for sale, you will be able to get the most out of what you have. Getting the Atmos Jump will be a pure convection herbal vaporizer, it won’t ever combust your herbal materials and is one of the best herbal vaporizers in the world to have especially at the price. The Atmos Jump is becoming the most popular herbal vaporizer. It uses an all glass vapor path and will never give you a harsh taste. IT simply uses 1 heating setting so you can know that it has a good balance of the consistent heat all the time. Once you get the feel of exactly how hard you will pull on the vaporizer, you will understand that you can get the best out of having this quality vaporizer.

When it all comes down to the fact, the best way to go with a new vaporizer is to buy a cheap convection vape pen like the atmos jump. There are many different types of vape pens, some have conduction heating which is not recommended to get if you’re trying to vaporize herbs. The reason why, the heating element is located directly on top and you have to load the herbs right on top of a hot heating element and it eventually combusts your herbal materials. When you’re looking for a new herbal vaporizer, it is the convection vaporization types of vaporizers you need to buy. This is when hot air blows against the botanical and extracts it into vapor so you can get the best type of vapor quality every time when you use a convection vape pen.

There’s plenty of herbal cheap vaporizers for sale online, you just have to look online for the best place that sells them at a good price. Do not be fooled, you need to learn the technology behind vaping, it is important to know all this if you want to get the best vaporization experience possible when getting a new herbal vaporizer. We hope this article will help you for when you find a new vaporizer for sale online, we want you to get the best vaporizers with the best possible technology.

No anti-smoking campaign is strong enough and no warning compelling enough to persuade smokers to quit smoking. In spite of knowing that tobacco smoke contains injurious substances that can affect the heart, the lungs and even cause cancer, it’s hard to give up the habit. Now however, smokers have an alternative where they can inhale without absorbing the harmful toxins—vaporizing.

Vaporizing claims to be a relatively safe alternative in which herbs and plants are not heated to the extent where compound burn and release toxins, but just enough to release their active compounds into the vapor, which is inhaled. There are portable vaporizers, vaporizer pens and desktop vapes.

Vaporizers come in many forms and one such is the PALM 2.0 Vaporizer, which is said to have come to the market at the end of 2012. Manufactured by VaporBLUNT Company of Chatsworth, California, it succeeds the Palm Original.

Palm 2 is small, compact, portable and can be used even while on the go. It has a thick polycarbonate outer shell, a rechargeable NIMH battery that allows the substance to vaporize and steel rods inside the heating chamber that’s made of ceramic. A plastic air path and a screen that can be replaced ensures two things: optimal performance and easy maintenance. The unit doesn’t have a switch and functions by inserting and removing the battery when required. Once you get the hang of it, this system seems to work quite well.

It’s compact size works in its favor: it’s portable (said to be the smallest vaporizer in the market) and the manufacturers have such immense faith in their product that they offer a lifetime warranty. A charger, two rechargeable AA batteries, two mouthpieces, a cleaning brush come along with the vaporizer.

To use the vaporizer, insert whatever material you use, into the filling chamber. Do ensure that the herb is ground to a nice powder. A fine mesh screen provides an extra layer of protection and also prevents the blend from flowing through the air path. The battery provides the heat and converts the material in the chamber into vapor, almost immediately. An indicator light shows that the vaporizer is heating, and the heating element heats up very fast. It reaches a high of 350 degrees F. A fully charged battery gives the user 30 minutes of continuous vaporization.

The mouthpiece is located at the top of the vaporizer, and the way you draw is going to determine the temperature inside—if you hold the battery in for longer and take slower draws, it will raise the temperature. Slow, steady breathes for 3-5 seconds will ensure that you get the best out of your vaporizer and blend. The way you use your breath in conjunction with the heating element helps decide the quality of vapor.

It’s advisable to remove the battery once you finish taking a draw, else it could cause overheating of the blend.

‘Ayurvedic’ Indian medical literature describes nine stages in the toxic manifestations of cannabis use, starting with redness in the eyes, going on to “Complete forgetfulness” (Stage 6) and ending with the ninth stage; “shouting, fainting, rolling on the ground, difficulty in speaking, disclosure of secret feelings, misery, extreme prostration”.

The same literature states that

‘Cannabis never causes any harm to a person who takes it’. (‘Fundamentals of Ayurvedic Medicine’. Shiv Sharma. Delhi 1995).

Properly utilised with realistic expectations and awareness of its properties, cannabis is a safe and effective medicine as well as being an enjoyable recreational drug. If improperly used, with unrealistic expectations and ignorance, adverse effects may result. The onset of unwanted effects may be obvious or insidious. They are all avoidable.

Uncertainty of Potency: Because of current uncertainty of supply due to it’s illicit status there can be great variability in strength. Typical street ‘skunk’ will have 10-11% THC and some as much as 20%, but much cannabis in Britain has very little THC content whatsoever. According to a study by the Dutch government in 1992 the THC content of imported weed/hash ranged from 0.5 -14%, while from indoors grown ‘skunk’ they measured up to 27% THC.

All cannabis users should avoid ‘Soap bar’ (also known as ‘Chernobyl’ in France or ‘Euro-Hash’) at all costs. This poisonous ‘Product of Prohibition’ masquerading as ‘Moroccan’ is dark brown in color. It is available all over Europe and often includes ‘free’ added animal tranquillizer (sometimes the only active ingredient). Soap bar may have flakes of plastic wrapping in it – a sure sign of a ‘remix’. If it goes brittle when you burn it you can assume the worst. Only an end to prohibition will protect people from the dangers of this type of contamination and adulteration.

If the distribution and sale of cannabis was properly regulated (the only responsible way forward), the labeling of type and strength would be possible as is usual with almost all consumer products. This would enable users to be more informed in their use of cannabis; more able to safely enjoy its many benefits.

Set and Setting: The result of the drug is a combination of set (expectations), setting, personality, and the drug. Best case: Enjoying a puff at home with a friend at the end of the day. Worst case: Taking a puff driving down the M25, then looking sideways into the eyes of a cop.

Cannabis Over Dosage: Taking too much cannabis for comfort is most common by the oral route (eating or drinking). This is because the time from taking the drug until the experience of effects begin is from one to three or more hours. Impatient, ignorant or just plain greedy users take too much – and then it hits them. They will have an unforgettable experience – but there is little chance of any lasting or life threatening damage.

Impatient overdosing with oral cannabis is the most frequent negative mention of the drug in medical literature of the 1800′s. In the last few years it has been the most common drug related problem treated at festivals in Britain (interestingly often involving older users who really should know better).

Oral cannabis over-dosage is far more intense and longer lasting than from the inhaled route. The effects are from the stimulation and sedation of the central nervous system with a flooding of ideas and images that are vivid and rapidly changing, while attention and concentration can be markedly impaired. Time perception is significantly altered with minutes seeming like hours. There may also be distortion of spatial perception, disorientation, speeding heart rate, dry mouth, and reddened eyes. Secondary physical effects, aside from a speeding up of the heart rate is generally no more than that associated with mild to moderate exercise.

The greater the dose, the greater intensity and longer these stimulant effects will last before sinking into a deep sleep. To avoid overdose by eating or drinking – try a little and wait at least an hour and a half; longer if consumed on a full stomach.

Effects On Personality: While many people benefit from and enjoy their use of cannabis, there are a minority for whom use of cannabis is contraindicated. Individuals with personalities that are prone to substance abuse, allergy, sensitivity, or adverse reactions to other medicines should exert greater caution and self awareness if they wish to use cannabis in any way.

Cannabis, an effective relaxant, can at the same time cause an alienation or detachment through chronic use. Despite the widely held ‘laid-back’ view of cannabis use, the most commonly reported adverse reaction to cannabis is in fact acute anxiety. The price of relief of tension may be a dulling or suppression of feelings, a prolonged dullness after use, paranoia and a fear of loss of control. Insensitivity to feelings of other people or situations may well result plus apathy, introspection and an increasing turning inwards.

Paranoia and delusional thinking are not uncommon effects. In chronic use paranoid and delusional thinking appear to be the consequences of the suppression of feelings. The dulling of feelings may alienate the cannabis users from others by diminishing empathetic capabilities. This emotional insensitivity then results in conflict through misperception and relationship problems causing isolation.

An effective relief of emotional distress then becomes an impediment to relationships for the cannabis user. Feelings are an integral dimension of social perception that convey important contextual information. Cannabis, as an effective sedative and antidepressant, has this undesirable side effect when misused, especially over a long period. The benefits and enjoyment afforded by the drug may be paid for by complications caused by the user avoiding dealing with the causes of the emotional pain, as well as diminished functioning while under its influence. Cognitive impairment by continuing or over use of cannabis creates a form of mild dementia that may persist for up to several weeks after discontinuing the drug. Individuals sensitive to the drug report a persistent ‘hang over’ that diminishes the ability to pay attention and concentrate. The onset may be insidious, subtle, and gradual. This condition is reversible with abstinence from cannabis.

Dependence and Withdrawal: Because cannabis is such an effective medicine for the relief of many uncomfortable conditions, using the drug on a daily basis is not uncommon. One must decide issues of personal risks/benefits of continuing using cannabis. Withdrawal from chronic cannabis use can produce several nights of intense dreaming, low energy and depression – these effects usually end after a few days. Adverse effects can be reduced by good nutrition and treated by the use of tonic herbs. Cannabis, like DDT, builds up in the fat stores in the body and can stay there for at least a month. It’s mild toxic effect upon the myelin sheaf (fatty nerve endings), the liver and the brain where it effects the ‘basal ganglia’ the area of the brain which gives experience of pleasure and discomfort, could be alleviated with the use of the fat soluble B vitamin choline which is found in lecithin, a common product in health food shops. The medical herb ‘Acorus calamus’ is traditionally used in India to help restore damage to the brain cause by chronic cannabis use. This herb is controlled in Britain and only legally prescribed by medical herbalists or doctors.

Other Adverse Effects: A prolonged dullness after use of paranoia and a fear of loss of control. Cannabis, an effective relaxant, can cause an alienation or detachment. The price of relief of tension may be a dulling or suppression of feelings. Insensitivity to feelings of other or situations may result. Smoking even a small amount of cannabis after drinking alcohol can trigger an almost instant ‘whirling-pits’ effect, often followed by vomiting. Fresh air usually helps. Cannabis also causes the blood vessels in the whites of the eyes to dilate, giving the user red, bloodshot eyes (treatable with eye drops). Effecting the glandular and lymph systems cannabis inhibits the salivary muscles, resulting in dry throat and mouth.

Despite protestations from countless governments that ‘more research is required’, people have known about the medical properties of Cannabis for thousands of years, and a massive amount of knowledge exists for anyone wishing to find it and use it.

The Chinese, Indian (Ayurvedic) and Tibetan literature on the subject goes back to at least the 10th Century. In China as early as 2737 BC it was used by herbalists in the court of Emperor Shen. The Tibetans call it ‘Sman-mchog rgyal-po’ which translates as ‘King of the best of medicines’.

In Ayurveda it is called ‘Harikaki’ and described as being;

“useful to human beings like a mother’; At times even a mother becomes angry but ‘Haritaki’ never causes any harm to a person who takes it”.

Between 1840 and 1900 more than 100 papers were published in the western medical literature recommending cannabis for various illnesses and discomforts. More recently in 2000 a survey of 1000 British doctors found that 8 out of 10 said they would prescribe cannabis if they were allowed to (Medix Survey 2000).

Public opinion has been virtually unanimous on the subject. After the House of Lords Report recommending the legalisation of medical cannabis (1998) one opinion poll found 86% opposed to the Governments refusal to act; another found 92% supporting the Lords. Yet the use of cannabis is still illegal in Britain and almost every country in the world. How can any civilised society do this, and deny the sick such a useful medicine? We use opium based medicines so why not cannabis, which is not addictive? It is not even possible to take a lethal dose of cannabis.

Meanwhile misprescribed or overprescribed ‘legal’ medicines are responsible for at least 100,000 deaths each year in the US alone (‘Worst Pills Best Pills’ (2005 edition) by Dr. Sidney Wolfe).

One thing is for sure; the worldwide prohibition of medical cannabis is one of the most aggressive and extreme examples of a general campaign against herbal medicine in general, openly backed by the drug companies. They operate massive and constant lobbying operations at the highest levels. Their pharmaceutical grip on the planet is threatened by the reemergence of very useful medical herbs like cannabis, especially if such herbs were to be freely available in an open market which they would not control.

Ironically these same companies are in fact the largest growers of herbs; they need them for their products to work.

Ailments for which the medical use of cannabis may be beneficial include:

‘The demand for Cannabis among British pensioners has stunned doctors, police and suppliers. The old people use the drug to ease the pain of such ailments as arthritis and rheumatism. Many are running afoul of the law for the first time in their lives as they try to obtain suppliers.’

Arthritis affects the joints and surrounding areas, including muscles, membrane linings and cartilage. It causes painful inflammation, heat, swelling, pain, redness of skin and tenderness in the affected areas. Cortisone-type drugs provide dramatic pain relief for short periods but decrease in effectiveness if used over time. The side effects of these drugs include nausea, restlessness, insomnia, dizziness, headache, depression and mood swings, irregular heartbeat and menstruation problems. Several cannabinoids have both analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory effects, a combination particularly helpful for arthritic people. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the main active ingredients in cannabis is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent. Cannabis can be smoked or eaten to relieve the general pain, inflammation and discomfort of arthritis. Cannabis poultices can be applied topically to troubled areas. Cannabis in alcohol or as a cream can also be rubbed on the skin.

Appetite Loss, Nausea, Cancer Chemotherapy, AIDS Wasting Syndrome:

One of the most outstanding medical values of cannabis is the role it can play in restoring a person’s relationship to food. Cannabis is remarkably powerful in combating nausea and vomiting, making it possible to consume food and hold it down. It is also an extraordinary stimulant of appetite itself; a condition known by cannabis users as ‘the munchies’. Conditions characterised by nausea, vomiting, appetite problems and severe weight loss include AIDS Wasting Syndrome, kidney failure, tuberculosis, hyperemesis gravidarum (magnified form of morning sickness) and anorexia and the side effects of chemotherapy.

Nausea From Cancer Chemotherapy:

Nausea and vomiting, which can last for days after a single treatment and be so violent as to threaten to break bones and rupture the aesophagus, are common side effects of the chemotherapies used in treating cancer. Many patients develop such an aversion to the site or odor of food that they stop eating altogether and lose the will to live. Up to 40% of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy do not respond to the standard treatment for preventing vomiting. These use expensive ‘antiemetics’ drugs such as ‘Zofran’ (which must be administered by intravenous drip and cost £250+ a treatment). ‘Marinol’ which uses THC was approved after much resistance in the USA in 1986. It is effective in many cases where other drugs have failed. Smoking or eating cannabis also seems to provide relief where standard treatments fail. The effectiveness of cannabis in treating nausea and vomiting from cancer chemotherapy is dose-related. The higher the blood levels of THC, the more complete the relief of vomiting. Lester Grinspoon, M.D. has calculated that using cannabis to treat chemotherapy nausea would cost about one percent as much as treatment with Zofran.

Glaucoma:

The usual treatment is eye drops containing drugs called ‘beta-blockers’. While effective they can cause depression, exacerbate asthma, decrease heart rate and increase danger of heart failure. The most common form of glaucoma, ‘open angle glaucoma’ happens when the channels that carry fluid out of the eyeball gradually become narrower causing the intra ocular pressure to increase slowly over time, damaging the optic nerve that relays signals from the eye to the brain and resulting in blindness. Fortunately, it can be treated with cannabis. Cannabis relieves symptoms by reducing intra ocular pressure, thereby slowing down the progress of the condition, sometimes bringing it to a complete halt. The pressure relieving effects achieved by using cannabis last for four to five hours.

Multiple Sclerosis:

Multiple Sclerosis destroys the sheathing that protects nerve fibres, interfering with the function of the nervous system. The victim suffers painful muscle spasms, loss of coordination, tremors, paralysis, insomnia, mood swings and depression, blurred vision, impotence, loss of bladder control and more. There are three types; fairly mild and does not get worse over time; one which gets worse slowly; and one which gets rapidly worse once it appears. Many suffers end up using wheelchairs. Modern medicine has failed to find an effective treatment for the overall condition although various drugs give short-term relief of different symptoms. Valium or similar tranquilizers are used to treat muscle spasms but have there associated side effect of addiction, and doses often have to be increased sharply over time (good for profits if nothing else). MS patients who use cannabis report a soothing of the painful muscle spasms and improved muscle coordination. Some are able to walk unaided when they were previously unable to do so. It also helps blurred vision, tremors, loss of bladder control, insomnia and depression.

Depression:

Depression can be a very depressing state of mind to be in, and can include pessimism, hopelessness, despair, loss of interest in life, boredom and sadness. Symptoms include insomnia or excessive sleeping, loss of appetite or over eating, decreased sex drive, constipation, listlessness, chronic tiredness, difficulty with concentration and decision making, and irritability. About 30% of patients with depression respond badly to antidepressants or find the side effects intolerable. A significant difference between the two is that the mood lifting effects of cannabis occur within a few minutes of smoking or about an hour after ingesting while pharmaceutical antidepressants usually take several days or weeks to kick in – and the same or longer to safely get off them.

Movement Disorders:

Diseases characterised by impaired motor function and difficulties with muscle control. Conventional drug treatments are not very effective and can have very bad side effects. Cannabis has proved to be surprisingly helpful. Research indicates that the reason may have something to do with the presence of receptors for cannabinoids in the ‘basal ganglia’, a part of the nervous system involved in the coordination of movement.

Parkinson’s Disease:

A movement disorder closely associated with the aging process, thought to be caused by abnormalities in the ‘basal ganglia’ and deterioration of the brain systems associated with the brain chemical ‘dopamine’ which is involved in movement and motor control. Levels of dopamine decline with ageing. Conventional treatments include ‘Deprenyl’, ‘Bromocriptine’ and ‘L-dopa’, all drugs which increase levels of dopamine in the nervous system. ‘L-dopa’, the most frequently used of these treatments, may actually increase damage to parts of the brain involved in dopamine production. It does not slow down the progression of the disease or increase life expectancy. Its side effects include most of the symptoms of the disease it is intended to treat! These include nausea, loss of libido, vomiting, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, headache, dystonias, and muscle spasms. Cannabis has demonstrated a beneficial impact on all of them. However ‘Cannabidiol’ one of the active agents of cannabis may aggravate the ‘hypokinesia’, or overall lack of movement associated with Parkinson’s.

Dystonia:

Dystonias are a group of movement disorders characterised by abnormal body movements and postures. Their causes can be a side effect of medicines used to treat psychotic conditions and Parkinson’s disease. Cannabis has been shown to be helpful for dystonia in studies with both humans and animals when conventional drugs are rarely effective and have dangerous side effects. Cannabis used in conjunction with standard medications can help achieve a more effective overall treatment.

Chronic Pain:

One of the most difficult problems for health practitioners to treat. Conventional medicine uses opiate-type drugs such as codeine. Opiates are highly addictive and dosages have to be increased to remain effective, increasing the addiction. Much addiction has its roots in pain being self medication conscious or not. Non-addictive painkillers are also available, but they are often not strong enough to provide adequate pain relief! The painkilling properties of Cannabis (THC) are comparable to those of codeine and other commonly used painkillers without the side effects or risk of addiction. Studies have found that the dose of THC required to kill pain was far smaller than the amount of codeine required to give the same level of relief. Amazingly the same dosage of cannabis has a consistently stronger painkilling effect for experienced users of cannabis than for inexperienced users. This is the opposite of a development of tolerance! A single dose can relieve pain for several hours. Eating is often more effective than smoking and the effects last longer. However, the use of cannabis and opiates is not necessarily an either-or issue. If cannabis is used in an ongoing regime of medication, opiates could be added or substituted during periods when pain levels rise. Conversely, if opiates are used as the basis of the ongoing regime, cannabis could be added when pain levels rise , avoiding the need to increase the dosages of opiates being used and the associated dangers.

Diabetes:

Insulin is excreted from the beta islet cells of the pancreas. Insulin, a natural body chemical, floods the body after a sugar-rich meal and causes various cell types to dramatically increase their uptake of glucose, a common sugar. The effect of insulin is to reduce the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Diabetes can result from the body’s inability to produce sufficient quantities of insulin or from an inability to respond properly to the insulin that is produced. In either case, many of the clinical effects of diabetes stem from the deleterious effects of high blood sugar.

There is some anecdotal evidence that cannabis lowers blood sugar. AIDS and cancer patients, among other cannabis users, often report an increase in appetite after consuming cannabis, and a few reports indicate that smoking cannabis can lower blood sugar in diabetics.

A study (Tracy Blevins phd) was undertaken to determine whether this effect can be detected using an easily available over the counter blood glucose testing kit.

A morbidly obese man had a non-healing wound on his lower leg and was experiencing confusion and sleepiness after large meals. He suspected diabetes as the culprit, and, since smoking a large cannabis cigarette after large meals seemed to alleviate some of his symptoms, his blood sugar was tested before, immediately after and multiple times during the hour following a large meal rich in protein, fats and both complex and simple carbohydrates.

The results were dramatic and raised some interesting research questions. Before and immediately after the meal, the patient’s blood sugar was in the normal range, but within a few minutes increased by 80 mg/dl and remained at this high level for almost an hour. Then he smoked a 1 gram cannabis cigarette, and his blood sugar levels fell by 40 points almost instantly. This represents a full 50% of the abnormal increase in blood sugar.

The drop of blood which was taken at the exact moment when he was self reporting a ‘high’ were the lowest in blood sugar, a good indication that the blood sugar lowering was caused by the ingestion of cannabis. Curiously, after a few minutes, his blood sugar started to increase again. It might be that smoking cannabis helped to reduce his blood sugar, but only transiently. Would a longer acting cannabinoid suppress blood sugar levels more efficiently?

Further studies are necessary to confirm this effect and to determine the parameters of the effect: the amount of cannabis needed, the time course of the effect, and also whether different types of cannabis show more or less blood sugar lowering. Also, in another non-diabetic patient, blood sugar was decreased by 11%, pointing to the possibility that cannabis can lower blood sugar in a non-disease state. Could it be that we have finally discovered the biological mechanism of “the munchies”?

Choosing the Medicine : The medical values of THC, CBD and other Cannabinoids.

Which cannabis? There are two strains of cannabis; Cannabis ‘Sativa’ and Cannabis ‘Indica’. Both contain large amounts of THC, but Cannabis ‘Indica’ contains other cannabinoids such as CBD and CBN. These are similar to THC, but have different effects on the body and can be used in different ways. THC causes the feelings of euphoria, creativity and a sense of well-being which are often called being ‘high’. It also reduces blood pressure and nausea, benefits cancer patients taking chemotherapy, AIDS patients who have reduced appetite and patients with uncontrolled glaucoma. CBN and CBD cannabinoids create a stronger sedative physical effect useful for pain relief and reducing muscle spasticity – helping Multiple Sclerosis patients, stroke victims and those suffering from chronic pain.

Our knowledge of these different cannabinoids can be used to target them specifically for the purposes they are most effective. However most cannabis currently available is a hybrid strain – somewhere in between the extremes of ‘Sativa’ and ‘Indica’. The ‘Sativa’ plant is taller and sparcer, with bigger branches to unit length, while the ‘Indica’ plant is more compact, narrower, skinnier and shorter, with more branches spaced closer together. Cannabis resin (‘hash’) is likely to be higher in CBD, while many strains of herbal cannabis (‘weed’ or ‘skunk’) can be very high in THC. One of the many strong arguments for legalisation is that it would require cannabis to be properly labled like any other mass consumer product.

Smoking/inhaling: Burning or vaporizing the cannabis and inhaling the smoke into the lungs is the fastest route to the blood stream. Conventional wisdom is that holding in the smoke increases the effects felt. Recent research shows the opposite; it causes more harm to the lungs without increasing the amount of THC absorbed. Studies done in Australia indicate that 95% of the THC in cannabis is absorbed in the first few seconds of inhaling. Holding in the smoke longer just allows more tar and other noxious chemicals to be absorbed. Take small, shallow puffs rather than deep inhalations.

Irritation of the throat and lungs is one of the most obvious adverse effects to the marijuana smoker as is the inevitable cough upon inhaling. The cough is the body’s reaction to the irritation of the numerous constituents of the smoke. Prolonged and repeated exposure to these irritants can lower resistance to, and aggravate infections from viruses, bacteria, or fungi. The lesser coughing, the safer the smoke. The fewer puffs the better; the more potent the cannabis used is the fewer puffs required. For these reasons, it is preferable to use only the more potent flower tops, or high grade hash for smoking use.

Despite the obvious dangers of inhaling hot smoke, there is evidence that in some cases (ie. Asthma) smoking could be a beneficial medical use of cannabis. Another advantage of smoking is that it allows the user to control their dosage better as the effects are almost immediate, unlike when eating, or using THC in pill or spray form. In general however, smoking is not the best way to take cannabis, especially for pain, being a less efficient use of the herb than eating. However, many medical users find they appreciate the immediate and pleasurable effects of smoking cannabis and the harm of smoking can be reduced in various ways. One alternative to inhaling smoke is to release the THC through Vaporization; inhaling vapor rather than smoke, see vaporization.

Joints: Smoking cannabis in ‘joints’ is one of the least harmful ways of smoking. A loose, fat joint is preferable to a thin one because the temperature of the smoke is lower in a thick joint. Mixing cannabis with tobacco counter-acts the positive effects of THC. Some research suggests that Cannabis may actually offset some of the harmful effects of tobacco but there is also evidence that the relaxing effects of cannabis on the lungs allows the toxins in tobacco to get in deeper. There is evidence that a thin joint gives a more stimulating ‘high’, while a fat joint has a more sedative effect (due to different burn temp in ‘fat’ or ‘thin’ joints). Avoid rolling papers with ‘strawberry’ tasting chemicals and the like, ‘rainbows’ and any use of colored inks.

Pipes and Bongs: Many ingeniously designed products are on the market that claim to offer a cooler smoke but they are not all safe or efficient to use. Avoid wood, aluminum or plastic materials. Use glass, stainless steel or brass pipes and bongs.

Water pipes: Recent research suggests that water pipes are the most harmful and least efficient methods of smoking cannabis. The water absorbs a great deal of the THC in the smoke (up to 50%!), increasing the amount of tar the smoker must ingest to get the desired result. Using a water pipe with a mouthpiece less than 20cm from the water level can allow water vapor and water drops to enter the lungs.

Vaporization: Using a vaporizer which heats but does not burn the cannabis, is an alternative to smoking. The process involves releasing the THC as vapor which is inhaled rather than smoke. The effect is ‘clearer’ and it is far more economical and reduces the exposure of the throat and lungs to products of burning. Vaporization works because THC, the active ingredient of cannabis, is a resin that vaporizes at a lower combustion (burning) point than cellulose. You can make your own vaporizer very cheaply or buy various types starting at around £35 up to £300+ for the ‘hospital standard’ ‘Volcano’. High heat destroys some of the THC in smoked cannabis (estimates vary). Vaporizers heat it more gently; the THC molecules decarboxylate and evaporate in a whitish vapor. A problem with vaporizers is with correct use. Many users tend to overheat and consequently burn the stuff. They are now ‘smoking’ not ‘vaporizing’ the cannabis, often without realizing – and just as many toxic tars are released as smoking in a pipe. Vaporizers sometimes fail to satisfy longtime recreational smokers who associate burning lungs with getting high. They distrust the incredibly smooth taste of the vapors, and they don’t like waiting 20 seconds to 1 minute for each hit. However they always like the fact that their supply seems to last up to four times as long because valorization wastes so little of the active ingredients lost through smoking. Some regular users of vaporizers have complained that they produce a fine dust along with the vapor. This can’t be good and they should maybe be fitted with a filter system but vaporizers are still the safest way to consume cannabis using heat.

Eating or drinking: Simply sucking a small piece of hashish or eating cannabis prepared as a cake, drink or other food is a very effective and economical method of using cannabis. The effects take up to an hour and last 4-12 hours. Over dose is possible by eating too much (see ‘Over-Dosage’). This could result in an unpleasant ‘whirling-pit’ feeling but no lasting physical damage. If in doubt ‘self-titrate’ the dose; experiment with a little, and then a little more. More worrying are the dangers of adulteration and infection encouraged by the unregulated trade in cannabis. These include smuggling methods and profiteering practices which can make eating the resulting product totally undesirable. In general avoid eating most hash especially ‘Soap Bar’ and ‘Manali’ or ‘Squiggie’ black. Eating Hemp seeds (see ‘Hemp Seed & Nutrition’) or their oil (which have no THC content) is a very valuable source of nutrition; a quality which can have considerable medical value and contribute to general well being.

Creams and lotions: Applied on the skin to treat complaints ranging from muscle pain and/or tremors to ache. You can make these your self. The simplest way to do this is to put leaves and buds of cannabis into a bottle filled with surgical alcohol available in any chemist. Leave in a dark place for 1-3 weeks, shaking every day or as often as possible, then use to rub on area suffering from pain.

Tinctures: The active ingredients of the plant are extracted as oil and can then be used either as drops taken orally, or the ingredient for creams and lotions to be rubbed on the skin to relieve pain and other symptoms. Cannabis Tincture was available by prescription for medical purposes in Britain until 1971.